Palestinians protest at ICSW

Update: 5:08PM JERUSALEM is our capital, young Palestinian activists said loud and clear in Laucala today.

In the middle of a panel discussion with winners of the Nelson Mandela-Graca Machel Innovation Awards winner, Khaled Elbalshy one of the awardees used the opportunity to highlight the current international impasse over which state Jerusalem belongs to, Israel of Palestine.

Mr Elbalshy, an Egyptian Journalist human rights defender and chief editor of the Al Bedaiah online newspaper is one of four youth activists who were announced today as winners of the 12th year of the awards.

Holding up the flag of Palestine with the hashtag #Jerusalem_Our_Capital, Mr Elbaslshy called on other supporters who stood up in the audience and called on people in the large room to do the same.

The protesters directed their protest action at the United States President Donald Trump.

The Egyption freedom fighter won the 'Individual Activist Award' while the 'Youth Activist Award' went to Jubilante Cutting, the 'Organisation Award' went to Mentally Aware Nigeria while the Guerilla Foundation won the 'Brave Philanthropy Award'.

"It means a lot to me, that the voices of all the prisoners, the journalists in Egypt is getting out," Mr Elbalshy said.

"I will not stop saying we are living under a dictatorship. Journalists are paying the price living under this regime, like any other human rights defenders. That's the value of this award for me."